Author: surlymarkus

featured, Primetime, Uncategorized

Official Northside Park Trail Opening

surlymarkus

The City of Norfolk and Bike Norfolk are happy to announce the date for the official (and virtual) grand opening of the Northside Park Trails.

Join us September 12th at 10am. You can check it out on Facebook LIVE on the Northside Park Mountain Bike Trails Norfolk Facebook page. Included in the opening will be remarks by stakeholders, unveiling of the two trailhead signs/ wayfinding, and ribbon cutting with Vice Mayor Martin Thomas. The event is limited to invited guests and press. Trail and bicycle enthusiasts are encouraged to participate by watching on Facebook Live on the Northside Park Mountain Bike Trails Facebook page.

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Riders preview the trails

Northside Park is a 62-acre park located in Norfolk, Virginia.  The park has tennis courts, a skate park, ball fields and an indoor pool.  For years, there has been an unofficial and overgrown network of trails in the wooded section of the park. Over the past two years, Bike Norfolk volunteers have worked in partnership with Norfolk Recreation, Parks and Open Space, Keep Norfolk Beautiful, and REI to cut new trail, clean/ mulch the existing ones, and connect the trails to create uninterrupted flow. As a result, three trails have been developed: Hide and Seek, Trae’s Trail, and David’s Sprint, for a total of 2.2 miles of single track.  The suggested bike for these trails is a mountain bike, and helmets are required.  Visitors may also walk or run the trails.

🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️

featured, Uncategorized

Illuminate Norfolk

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Every year Bike Norfolk gets out in the community when daylight savings time ends and hands out bike lights to those who are riding ”ninja style”; without lights in the dark. We will be out there again on Monday November 4th to illuminate those who have neglected their own safety, be it because they couldn’t afford it, didn’t think about it, or just didn’t know any better. You can participate by joining us or by contributing towards the lights. Email us at bikeorf@gmail.com if you want to be part of the volunteer cadre and/or go to this link to donate and provide lights and safety to riders on Norfolk streets:

http://gf.me/u/vwam4z

 

Uncategorized

Northside Park Trails

surlymarkus

Northside Park is a 62-acre multi use area located in Norfolk, Virginia, that includes tennis courts, a skate park, ball fields, an indoor pool, and more.  There is also an unofficial network of trails in a wooded section in the back of the park. Over the past year and a half, Bike Norfolk has been working with the City of Norfolk and Keep Norfolk Beautiful to open these trails officially to mountain bikers, runners, and hikers. The effort was started when Michael Seek came to a Norfolk bike/ped commission meeting to pitch the idea. Soon after, he and his wife Melissa became active in Bike Norfolk and official trail designation for Northside Park became one of our long term goals. In conjunction with other groups, we have been cleaning & clearing the trails and connecting dead ends to create a continuous network.  Having the trail officially recognized by the city would mean regular maintenance, trail signage, listing the trails as a park amenity, and having rides and events that incorporate the trail.

In June 2019 we got a huge boost towards meeting our goal when Bike Norfolk was awarded a $4000 grant for trailhead signage and wayfinding by Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI). Additionally, Bike Norfolk has been working with the City of Norfolk to craft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) so that we can adopt the trails. Once we have the MOU in place, we can move forward with the design and installation of a trailhead kiosk, the sign will show the start of the trail network, describe the rules of use, and show a basic map. We also hope to provide way-finding signage. Other priorities are tools, gravel, fill dirt, and pavers that we may need to purchase to support the project.

Our goal is to have the MOU take affect in the summer of 2019, and have an official trail opening before the end of the year.

 

We hope to see you on the trails!

Community Partners:  REI, Keep Norfolk Beautiful, Crossroads Civic League, Siren Skate Shop, East Coast Bicycles

Bike Norfolk Contacts:

Mike and Melissa Seek, project managers, 423-220-7205, melissapresnell36@yahoo.com